After becoming the most frequently uttered word in 2008, bomb, and its close associates have erected new pillars of terror to reckon with. The ‘scroll of horror’ has the new national topper, in the name of 26/11. Interestingly, our national topper missed the ‘International Panic List’ by one place to 9/11. And we have counted yet another date in the never ending list. 60 hours long smoking bloody act wasn’t less than a war. And our cash capital was ripped and raped, as it offered a new urban Warfield. Mumbai of 26/11 stood apart for convincingly startling variations. The messengers of devil stormed not into bazaars and crowds, but blew up the country’s elite hotels; our symbols of pride and their nozzles took their prey not the aam aadmi, but the often cocooned and distanced men and women in glaze. Though I don’t rule out the aam aadmi blooded at CST or Nariman, at Cama, or Leopold (poor they are for granted fodder for their bullets now), but the top brass has been touched including many a businessmen, socialites, and foreign guests. They can just mess with India in and out, and they gave a souvenir. A souvenir, that took its toll close to a second century, and slaying our heroes.
It was until the night of fate, martyr Hemant Karkare wasn’t really pictured heroic, but surely was being sacked in controversies. The ATS chief, scuffled as politics, just another name of terror, choked his throat, for being a little tough to the previous, not so long ago terror strike at this very city. NSG Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, couldn’t even get a respectful martyrdom with the Kerala chief minister’s pestiferous remarks. And there were several other real heroes; and Gujrat chief minister Narendra Modi sights to gift money to the family of a slain security officer. The commandoes and police no doubt paid for the folly of the big men in the chairs, even the hotel staff needs acknowledgment for the displayed chauvinism or simply continuing their job of serving the guests, taking bullets on their backs.
The mayhem stretched for 60 hours, out of which the first 10 hours was free knocking off time given to the perpetrators. Of course action was taken, our CM Deshmukh touring Kerala then, was informed who passed on the news to the Capital, and our Home Minister ordered the NSG commandos, then in their siesta. IL 76 (again trudged in drowsiness, when juxtaposed to Boeings or Airbuses) finally carried them to Mumbai when round one of slaughter was done. It’s shameful, for a country spanning such vast a territory to be the 7th largest, even with a spanning terror record, the National Security Guard’s HQ. is based only in New Delhi, a city some thousand kilometres north of just the centre, zero mile Nagpur. Never did the government think of establishing branches in other cities? Why never in Mumbai, even after bearing the wrath umpteen number of times in the past?
The blood has been spilled, and now was the turn to spill out flaws in other’s errands. February 11th, the Intelligence reported of Taj being targeted. More recently, the IB reported of threats to Mumbai, even about the sea approach. The RAW seconded this.Not paying heed to such reports, was the government now immune to it, taking place so often, every other day? Or did the government deliberately pay a deaf ear and ignored the Bureau’s sayings for reasons concealed under the chair? Dismissing grave threat reports like this doesn’t leave any scope for the people, but to believe that the government has cheated on the country. And then starts the secretaries’ job of penning down a power packed grief and pain, fitted with zealous promises to reach the depth and preventing it ahead, to be delivered at the lectern by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. Bomb after bomb, city after city, the PM and Home Minister uttered similar words, same wows in equal sorrow and determination as the previous one. What happens to those speeches then, Mr. Prime Minister? Do you keep a copy in your file for future references; because we never saw that in execution?
Mr. Patil, the union Home Minister had to step down, something that should have happened quite earlier. Rather it doesn’t make a difference now, the damage has been done. Absolute display of inefficiency in the capacity of the Home Minister, it was a complete disaster with no authority or control on the flow of task. No organized security. Then come in the camera flashes, with B-town’s flickering starlet and withering film-maker making guest appearances at the tragic Taj. His ‘Taj ki Aag’ has been nipped in the bud, even though I foresee it burning into ashes at the BO. Just a moment, did I miss the Marathi phantom, oops patron Raj bhau? “tu kuthe aahe?” Planning the lathi charge of the commandoes from north and south of Maratha? Hard hearted R.R. Patil, the state Home Minister, wasn’t moved by the carnage, but is rightly moved off his chair now. And the CM says he’s not to be blamed for the failures. Yes, it’s me and my friends who have caused it, couldn’t keep the security atop.Whose responsible? I ask a simple question? Who will take the charge? Or am I vulnerable in my own home?
The marine guards were on their own voyage, where was their scrutiny? How come such things take place? The whole system is corrupt. The government itself doped, how will it keep its forces brisk? The much denounced smuggling actually bakes bread in the homes of the men at sea. Why not, if their counterparts on land have a right to levy an extra note to cross state borders? It’s futile to ask these questions. The white apparelled men are efficient at their task; the blame game. And the marine police isn’t to be blamed for missing out on the trawler that carried death, after all their pelf is at stake. And now we cry, “If forces were vigilant…”
But our leaders (leading us into the pits), are quick to react. Wise are the men who flow with the tide. The opposition gets a chance to bank on votes. They still see votes in the blood shed. My heart bleeds when I such callousness all around me. They categorize terror in columns of religion; Hindu and Islamic terrors. Martyr Karkare went to the wall for he kept a hindu under the lens, for involvement in a terror attack. Never mind if the army doesn’t co-operate with the ATS. The bullets have no religion. Neither do guns read the Koran or Gita or the Bible. Yes the innocent indeed follows a religion; that of peace. There were nearly 40 Muslims massacred in the Bombay mishap. One Ansari family of six shot one after another at CST. The shooters acted on Allah’s words? But our babus dance the democracy.
It’s high time the netas come out of their tarnished image. It’s time they prove their mettle. At least now? Or else our heads hang in shame. If an economist sits as a Finance Minister, wouldn’t a retired defence personnel or police inspector sit best as the Defence Minister or the Home Minister? The U.S. of A has made sure it’s not touched again after 9/11. And we? A public practice session for bombers? A ‘mandir ka ghanta’ if I talk raw.
Mumbai’s spirit, Indian Spirit of getting up from blood has got world wide acclamation, It’s time we stand up and declare enough is enough, though that enough passed long ago.
If the government can’t save us, let the army rule this country. The subtle speeches of Dr. Manmohan and Madame Pratibha fail to extinguish my rage. India needs leaders. It’s time to wake up. We have the power in our hands. Vote! Vote sensibly, think out of kaums, casts, jaats and dharams. Truly, Jaago India.
And things move back to normalization. I read about a bomb blast at Assam railway station two days after the turmoil. My room mate asks, “Again?” and I reply, “Arre, normal-wale.”
